NIGHT of the JUMPs #3/2015

NOTJ eMagazin 2015

#3/2015

S R U TO C E FRAN

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EDITOR: Marko Manthey ART DIRECTION: Pigmentart design PHOTOGRAPHERS: Marko Manthey, Christoph Schulz SUBMISSIONS: info@notj.de ADVERTISING: c.schulz@notj.de / p.mundin@notj.de NIGHT of the JUMPs Magazine is selfpublished regularly in Berlin, Germany.

The publisher will not accept responsibility or any liability for the correctness of information or opinions expressed in this publication. All rights are reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or part, without the prior permission of the publisher. Enjoy this magazine for what it is and respect the photographers that help make it happen.

OTHER SOCIAL ACTIVITIES: www.facebook.com/NIGHToftheJUMPs www.youtube.com/NIGHToftheJUMPs twitter.com/NIGHToftheJUMPs instagram.com/nightofthejumps And www.nightofthejumps.com

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EDITORIAL WHERE TO STEVE COLUMN VIVA LA FRANCE LIFEPROOF BEST WHIP MAXXIS HIGHEST AIR

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5.9.

TOURS / FRANCE 23.5.

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BERLIN / GERMANYR HAMBURG 12.-13.6.

MUNICH 25.4. / GERMANY 21.11.

KRAKOW / POLAND

14.11.

23. - 24.10.

TICKETS AUF WWW.NIGHTOFTHEJUMPS.COM

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EYE CATCHER

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The Steve Sommerfeld Colum for NIGHT of the JUMPs A few Words about the Difficulty of Judging FMX nowadays The 2015 season of Night of the Jumps has seen the level of tricks increase to the highest level ever seen in the sport of Freestyle Motocross, and now with new ramps and bigger courses pumped into the same tight arena’s, the task of Judging 12 riders and picking a winner at the end of the night has never been harder than now.

The inclusion of the Quarter Pipe in 2014 and 2015 has seen a dramatic shift in course use and scores. Not only is the Quarter pipe a new ramp, and a very technical ramp to even jump, the tricks performed are spins like the 540 Flair which is relatively new and something completely different for Freestyle Motocross.

The complexity in trying to give a fair score to riders who have actually spent the time in perfecting the 540 Flair off a Quarter pipe is difficult, knowing that a 360 over the long distance ramp is scored very highly, why shouldn’t a 540, with an extra 180 degree spin not score even higher. And then, to add one or two extra points for the course use also.

To me, it’s a very difficult position to be in. As an FIM Judge, and sitting among a group of 5 judges each event, with a handful of other judges who are able to join the ranks, we are in the midst of looking at new judging systems, or at least a deep conversation as to how to score these tricks.

For example, in 2014, Maikel Melero became our FIM World Champion and in large part, he was one of the only riders, who utilised the quarter pipe and stomped a perfect flair each time. His points were generally 10 or more points higher than anyone. And I’m still happy with that decision from 2014, because Maikel was proving better than the rest of the field.

However, with the return of the 2013 World Champion, David Rinaldo at the end of the season, Rinaldo showed what could happen and showed that his riding is on another level. The confidence he oozes, the technicality and uber style he shows is so high, that on any given day, I think David could be one of the best riders in the sport, ever.

In 2015, it has been a tug of war between Rinaldo and Melero, with Libor Podmol and Rob Adelberg thrown in the mix at the top. And the Judging has to be able to accommodate new tricks, new ramps, style, variety and consistency.

In Krakow, Poland, Melero was easily standing on top of the podium on the first night, and claiming his 3rd straight World Championship win in a row. However, the advantage Maikel had would come to an end, even with the use of the quarter pipe, when David Rinaldo arrived 20 minutes before the competition, with absolutely no practise at all, put down one of the best runs ever seen in FMX. And he didn’t even touch the Quarter Pipe. For Melero, it was a crushing victory I’m sure, but it showed that a FMX run can come back to the basics and just show great style to win.

Even as judges, we all have our own background in the sport, we all have our own view on what constitutes the best FMX run, and to me, a good mix of everything just listed is the way to go. Other Judges may disagree with that, and that is why there are 5 judges at Night of the Jumps.

I think NOTJ have one of the best FMX Judging systems in the sport, with the judges needing to look at every aspect of a run, which includes the Trick Difficulty and Extension, Course Use, Technical Deductions, Personal Impression and the Double Up, the judges have a wide range of areas to work out where each rider sits.

And even after 5 judges with their different backgrounds and biases take all this into account, the judge with the highest score, and the judge with the lowest score are dropped. So the 3 middle scores are tallied together to give an overall score for each rider.

In 2015, with almost half of the field pushing the limits with different body varials, 540 Flairs out of the Quarter Pipe, Surfer Take off Back Flips and Flip Transfers from the Quarter Pipe, the Judges will have more on their plate than ever before and need to justify every decision when after 12 riders, the top spot on the podium is still always decided by a mere one or two points out of a possible 400 points, or more!

Check out the next rounds of Night of the Jumps and tell us what you think of the judging at each event.

Would you score the riders differently?

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For the first time after a 8 years absence NIGHT of the JUMPs returns to France. Last time NOTJ hits France (2007 in Metz) a young boy and his mom where begging to enter the world biggest Freestyle MX Series. His name David Rinaldo – 2013 World Champion ! So things are set for a drama filled night.

DAVID RINALDO back in 2007

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ENTRANCE TOURS 18

All French riders are motivated to show unbelievable style at the French NIGHT of the JUMPs World Championships round, with the French crowd getting behind them. However it was the arrival of one of the regular French riders, Brice Izzo with his own Quarter Pipe for a Flip Transfer, an element of Course Use never seen before at NOTJ and add even more pressure to a round featuring one of the toughest rider line-ups in World Championships history.

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Brice Izzo with family

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Remi planing his run

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BRICE IZZO Transfer Flip Nac

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Crashed and missed the final.

In front of his home nation crowd, Brice would unveil a brand new trick, the Nac-nac Flip Transfer, otherwise known as the Egg Roll Nac, but he was unable to successfully land it for the Double Up and missed out on a top 6 final place.

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HANNES Transfer Flip

Not to be outdone, Germany’s Hannes Ackermann surprised everybody with two new tricks for him personally, a flat 360 over the super kicker and finishing with an Egg Roll of his own, but with an equal score of 331 and tied with Remi Bizouard, Hannes lost due to a 5-judge countback decision and it was by the slightest of margins that Remi would join the final in front of his French family and friends.

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REMI Huge Tsunami Flip

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NICOLAS TEXIER 9´clock

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JAMES CARTER US

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SA

Nac Flip by James Carter

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James Carter 2nd

The French connection was almost complete, with a tough battle in the Lifeproof Best Whip competition, Nicolas Texier showed huge turndowns, however Taka Higashino would snatch victory away with style.

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Taka Higa 1st Place Lifproof Best Whip

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MASSIMO BIANCONCINI 38

JOSE MIRALLES 39

HIGHEST A

In the second event in a row, Jose Miralles would also claim another Maxxis Highest Air competition over his main rival and multiple champion, Massimo Bianconcini with a wrist-jarring height of 10 metres.

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AIR

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Jose taking the lead in the MAXXIS Highest Air Championship

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REMI BIZOUARD

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The final would kick off with a crowd favourite, Remi Bizouard, who showed an impressive run with clean tricks and finishing with a Volt, the first time we’ve seen this trick from Remi in 2015, however against such tough competition it was only enough for 5th place.

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LIBOR PODMOL

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LIBOR High Voltage

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Libor Podmol had also showed an impressive run and he too tried to finish with his own Volt body varial, however he couldn’t hold onto the bike and crashed after landing. Luckily he was able to get back to his feet but the major mistake would put Libor in 6th place.

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Australia’s Rob Adelberg missed out on a podium finish for the first time in 2015 after being relegated to 4th place, despite a run with pin-point accuracy and perfect extension.

ROB ADELBERG 50

TAKA HIGASHINO 51

Taka Higashino. In front of the sold out arena in Tours

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In his first ever appearance at NIGHT of the JUMPs, Taka Higashino performed exceptionally well in the FIM judging format and finished in a respectable 3rd place, showing why he is one of the world’s best riders. Taka unleashed a huge Tsunami backflip, coupled with the California Roll which he invented and completing his run with a hair-raising Rock Solid Indy Back Flip.

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Taka with huge Tsunami Flip

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MAIKEL MELERO reigin World Champion

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Maikel performing his Flair

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Showing an impressive run, Maikel Melero (ESP) claimed a solid 2nd place in a pressure filled event proving why he was the 2014 overall World Champion. Melero broke away from the field as the only rider to perform the Flair in his run, and landing his own version of the California Roll with a side-saddle take-off for extra technical points.

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David Rinaldo World Champion 2013

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However it wouldn’t be enough to defeat the final French rider of the night, David Rinaldo. David led the way from qualifications and into the final, where his night culminated in a late change of mind before the final run to switch his tricks around and add both of his body varials, the Volt and California Roll, inside the regular time limit and to finish with a Double Grab Indy Flip for the Double Up. A brave decision, needing to maintain concentration through the run with an incredible depth of tricks and it was enough to impress the judges to secure David’s second FIM FMX World Championships event in a row.

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DAVID RINALDO Winner of the French Grand Prix

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RESULTS TOURS ROUND#5 FIM Freestyle MX World Championship 2015 OVERALL 1. David Rinaldo 2. Maikel Melero 3. Taka Higashino 4. Rob Adelberg 5. Remi Bizouard 6. Libor Podmol 7. Hannes Ackermann 8. Jose Miralles 9. Brice Izzo 10. James Carter 11. Nicolas Texier

FRA ESP JPN AUS FRA CZE GER

20 Points 18 Points 16 Points 14 Points 12 Points 10 Points 9 Points

ESP FRA USA FRA

8 7 6 5

FINAL 1. David Rinaldo 2. Maikel Melero 3. Taka Higashino 4. Rob Adelberg 5. Remi Bizouard 6. Libor Podmol

FRA ESP JPN AUS FRA CZE

417.0 404.0 404.0 395.0 392.0 333.0

HIGHEST AIR 1. Jose Miralles 2. M. Bianconcini 3. Maikel Melero

ESP ITA ESP

10,0 m 9,5 m 0,0 m

Points Points Points Points

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FIM FREESTYLE MX WORLD CH (OVERALL STANDINGS AFTER 4 ROUNDS)

The riders who compete in all World Championsh result at the end of the year. All other results ar FIM World Championship ranking 2015.

PLACE

NAME

NAT.

ROUND 1

ROUND 2

ROUND 3

ROUND 4

BERLIN

BERLIN

KRAKOW

KRAKOW

1

MAIKEL MELERO

ESP

20

20

20

(12)

2

ROB ADELBERG

AUS

16

16

18

(16)

3

DAVID RINALDO

FRA

18

18

4

LIBOR PODMOL

CZE

14

14

(10)

18

5

BRICE IZZO

FRA

(5)

7

14

10

6

REMI BIZOUARD

FRA

16

14

7

JOSE MIRALLES

ESP

10

8

(7)

8

8

LUC ACKERMANN

GER

8

10

9

(6)

9

HANNES ACKERMANN

GER

12

9

10

JAMES CARTER

USA

7

8

7

11

PERT PILAT

CZE

12

12

12

FILIP PODMOL

CZE

9

9

13

TAKA HIGASHINO

JPN

14

KAI HAASE

GER

6

6

15

MARCIN LUKASZCZYK

POL

16

NICOLAS TEXIER

FRA

20

5

6

5

MAXXIS HIGHEST AIR CHAMPI (OVERALL STANDINGS AFTER 4 ROUNDS)

PLACE

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NAME

NAT.

ROUND 1

ROUND 2

ROUND 3

ROUND 4

BERLIN

BERLIN

KRAKOW

KRAKOW

1

MASSIMO BIANCONCINI

ITA

5.0

5.0

1.0

5.0

2

JOSE MIRALLES

ESP

1.0

1.0

5.0

3.0

3

KAI HAASE

GER

3.0

3.0

4

LUC ACKERMANN

GER

5

MAIKEL MELERO

ESP

3.0

HAMPIONSHIP 2015

hip rounds in 2015 drop their lowest re taken into account for the overall

ROUND 5

TOTAL ALL

TOURS

RESULTS

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90

14

80

20

76

10

66

7

43

12

42

8

41 33

9

30

6

28 24 23

16

16 12 11

5

5

IONSHIP 2015

ROUND 5

TOTAL

TOURS 3

19

5

15 6 3

1

1

67

68